


A Trip To The Beach

by Professor Fries (ClaireOShea)



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Beach Trip, F/M, Vacation, just a fun romp where they have fun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:26:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24637540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClaireOShea/pseuds/Professor%20Fries
Summary: "After everything has settled down and Fodlan is in a state of peace again, we should take a couple of days off. A moment of rest to recollect ourselves, so we can better resolve whatever conflicts may arise in the future," Seteth would often suggest in moments where the two of them were alone, whether it be in his office or their shared quarters.It took a long while to get to that point, but the day of relaxation had finally come.
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth/Seteth
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	A Trip To The Beach

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted a Setleth beach fic featuring Flayn so I wrote it and I hope you enjoy it!

“After everything has settled down and Fodlan is in a state of peace again, we should take a couple of days off. A moment of rest to recollect ourselves, so we can better resolve whatever conflicts may arise in the future,” Seteth would often suggest in moments where the two of them were alone, whether it be in his office or their shared quarters. 

Even though they had agreed to hold off on sharing vows until this same unknown time in the future, as well as keeping PDA to a minimum, their involvement with each other had become somewhat of an open secret. Besides Flayn who knew of this relation from the very start, given that half of the couple was her father, virtually all of the Knights of Seiros knew, as well as some high ranking officials of the Kingdom of Faerghus due in part to a bit of a misstep at a party. 

A number of former students found them out as well, but they just knew the professor well enough to snuff it out for themselves. You can avoid kissing and long lasting embraces in public but it will always be the little things you don’t realize that others pick up on. 

“Well, when this day does come, if it ever does, what do you suggest we do? Where should we go?” Byleth would return, picking his brain. 

“No country is in a state of war forever, and we’ve been hard at work to ensure a better tomorrow. Our efforts will be rewarded in time,” he’d reply. “I think the beach sounds rather nice for an escape from our duties. Do you?”

It took a long while to get to that point, but the day of relaxation had finally come. The calendar reflected that two and a half years had past since the war against the Adrestian Empire had come to an end. It simultaneously felt like it had been longer than that and like i was just yesterday when the monastery was first invaded, an event that happened seven and a half years ago now. Regardless though, it was a great feeling of relief to know that peace had now been brought to the country, as well as Fodlan’s allies in Brigid, Dagda, and the newly reformed Duscur. 

“Does everyone that needs to know of our absence been made aware?” Byleth asked, fighting with one of her bags to get it out the door. 

“The head of the Knights has been made aware and instructed to tell those who may be looking for us that we are away for diplomatic reasons. They are welcome to leave a message for us or to recontact a week from now. If something is to arise, the Knights are talented enough to handle it,” Seteth gave a long winded response. It wasn’t surprising though, he’s if not anything but thorough and covers all his bases. 

“Do they know that we’re actually going on vacation?” Byleth asked, unsure of if his hubris or candor would win out in this confrontation. 

“Of course not, I have a reputation to uphold,” Seteth answered, holding the straps of his own luggage. 

“And no one bat an eye when told that Flayn will also be accompanying us on our trip?” She prodded further. 

“I said that since she has lately taken a more active role within the business of the church that becoming more acquainted with these procedures would be beneficial to her,” he continued to explain his constructed ruse. 

“And while it is true that she has been helping with the reconstruction effort, you would never involve her with the diplomatic ventures?” Byleth asked, even though she already knew the answer. 

“Absolutely not,” he confirmed her suspicions. “It would be dangerous to include her, and I just want to keep her safe. She also has too kind of a heart to dip her toes into politics. Aiding in paperwork and playing out hypotheticals is impersonal enough to be alright, but meeting the people on the other side and negotiating would likely harm her soul.”

“You’re right about that, she’s a great help with the monotonous tasks but the vitriol would reject her whole demeanor,” she agreed. 

“Speaking of Flayn, I asked for her help in procuring provisions for our trip,” Seteth segue. 

“Could you not call them provisions? It sounds like we’re back at war. It’s just food,” she replied. 

“My apologies, Flayn should have gathered all of the food we will need,” he repeated himself with different terms. 

“Hello there Professor, brother,,” a familiar high pitched voice greeted. 

“Hello Flayn, have you finished the task?” Seteth asked his kin. 

It’s been an interesting thing with these labels. It’s been eight years since byleth served in the role of professor at the academy, two years ago serving as a commanding general in the church army, and now holding the title of archbishop. Despite the different roles and the time between them, all of these students from her first class at Garreg Mach still call her Professor, even with their respective escalations of positions. Meanwhile, even though Seteth and Flayn are father and daughter, they still have to keep their respective identities a secret from the public and do so by addressing each other as brother and sister. 

“Yes brother, the packages of food are with the carriage,” Flayn answered, nodding in response. 

“Thank you, Flayn,” Byleth cut in. “Have you gathered everything you want to bring, enough clothing?” Flayn nodded again.

“Retrieve your bags dear sister, we will leave shortly,” Seteth informed. “I will be going back to my office to gather a few things. After I am done, I will meet you both at the carriage so we can then depart.”

Byleth and Flayn both affirmed the plan, taking it as a cue to leave. 

Their ride to the vacation spot of choice was made with Seteth at the reins. Out of wanting to avoid the involvement of a third party, he volunteered to drive the way, despite his admittedly lacking experience that only included wyverns. Even so, he was more equipped with knowledge than Flayn or Byleth. In the event that something went sour though, at least the two of them were masters of white magic and could serve as medics. While not an expert with medicine, Byleth had picked up some tricks of the trade to use in a pinch when needed during her time as a mercenary. 

Despite the road being on the bumpier side, whether because of the ground itself or Seteth’s inexperience with carriage driving, no other inconveniences or harm came to the trio. Rather, the ride was filled with learning lullabies and songs of the Nabateans. Flayn had mentioned the lullabies her father used to sing to calm her down at night, but this was the first time Byleth heard her beloved sing. Whether he intentionally sang in harmony with Flayn or a force of habit compelled him to sing the songs of his people, he was heard. In the past he would usually deflect and say that he can’t sing, would only do so for its utilitarian purpose, the smile on his face while they vocalized showed otherwise. His pipes may not be to a Manuela or Dorothea level of talent, but by no metric was he bad at it, actually quite enjoyable to hear. 

“It looks like we are close!” Flayn cheered, moving to look out the window, wrapping her fingers around the window frame. Byleth followed suit to see trees and grass give way to sand and rocks. Moments later, a great expanse of water came into view. 

“I absolutely adore visiting the beach. Have a picnic on the sand, go swimming, build sandcastles. I know that I can fish in the pond at the monastery but it’s different casting into the ocean. The fish are different, and I think they taste better too.”

“You always have had a preference for saltwater fish,” Seteth weighed in with the first thing he’s said the whole trip, with the exception of the earlier singing. 

“Perhaps it is because we live near saltwater for a time when I was younger?” She began to ponder. 

“That’s certainly a possibility,” Byleth replied, recalling her own childhood. “When I was a child, I often had to hunt for my next meal, since my father and I traveled so often for work. Fish and steak are good in their own right, but nothing can beat my father’s smoked and seasoned deer.”

“It sounds as though your time as a mercenary has taught you many valuable skills. How to practice medicine, however rudimentary it may be, self defense, and how to shelter in the woods. You’re a walking encyclopaedia on self sustainability and how to live undetectable,” Seteth put together. His expression looked like he was thinking. 

“Father and I have had to… Disappear for awhile a few times before. I have a feeling we will soon have to do so again,” Flayn gave some context, her gaze shifting downward. Considering the extended lifespan of the Nabateans, combined with their desire to conceal that aspect of their identity, going into hiding then reappearing elsewhere much later would be a necessity. Byleth considered that she too would have to join them, not only because they are the ones she has chosen to spend the rest of her life with through marriage, but due to her own new Nabatean identity, acquired through her joining with the progenitor god. Even if the latter did not apply though, she would gladly go into hiding with the children of the goddess for the rest of her human life. 

It must be rough to live this way, the hardship showed up in their respective demeanors every so often. Seteth’s difficulty sleeping, Flayn panicking at night about those she cares about dying when she wakes. Byleth leaned to take Flayn into her embrace, hoping to give some amount of comfort to her. 

“Sadly, it is true that we will have to go into hiding again in the future, but I feel as though that day will not arrive for awhile yet,” Seteth said, changing his grip on the horse reins to slow the carriage down. 

“For lunch would you rather eat from our food allowances or attempt fishing for our meal?” He asked, getting up from the driver’s bench to tie the horses to a nearby tree. 

“Can we fish?” Flayn asked, looking for approval. She opened her door then headed to the back to dig some supplies out, most notably fishing poles and a couple of apples. 

“Of course we can fish. Haven’t had saltwater fish before and I fear I am missing out,” the archbishop answered. “I ate a hearty breakfast as well so I’m not hungry for lunch just yet.” 

“I am not either. Bread and fruits are very filling. The horses have been working hard though, so I’m sure they are hungry. Would you like to help me feed them?” Byleth nodded. 

The two came to a silent agreement, Byleth cut the apples with her dagger while Flayn fed the slices to the two horses. 

“I’ll give you some carrots later,” she whispered to the horses after the apples were eaten up, petting them on their snouts. 

“I’m a bit surprised you focused all your energy into becoming a gremory rather than a holy knight, given your love for horses,” Byleth observed, keeping her attention trained on the girl while approaching the water, fishing poles and bait in hand now. 

“Horses are majestic creatures but I would prefer to avoid bringing them into combat when I can,” Flayn answered, following suit. “I recognize their importance to a degree, but if I can avoid personally using one, I want to. I can serve as support from a distance. I do not need a horse to move me.”

“It sounds like you thought through this,” Byleth continued, getting a nod in response. 

“If you and Flayn will be fishing, I will scavenge for wood leavings to start a fire to cook what you catch,” Seteth spoke up before heading off. “Remember to release the small fish you catch so you don’t ruin the ocean’s ecosystem,” he added, raising his voice to be heard before disappearing into the trees. 

“It has been awhile since I fished against a current so I hope I am still able to get the line out far enough,” Flayn commented while putting a worm and bobber onto her hook before casting it out. 

“You did it!” Byleth cheered her on, baiting her own line. “Let’s hope I can get similar results.”

“Oh, I’ve already gotten a bite!” Flayn exclaimed, starting to pull on her pole to reel the fish in. Byleth got a bite herself in succession. 

“We got some big ones right away. If we keep having this luck, lunch will be taken care of maybe even dinner too,” Byleth said, investigating their two fresh fish before setting them in a bucket. 

“Then shall we continue”? Flayn asked. 

“We will want at least one more fish of this size for lunch for the three of us. You seem to enjoy fishing though so your efforts alone can supply for dinner as well,” Byleth continued. 

“Pulling large fish in?” Seteth asked, re-emerging from the nearby woods. Byleth had taken a grip on Flayn’s fishing pole to help reel in a presumably large fish, given how difficult a time Flayn was having by herself. A few more jerks and the fish surfaced. It was one of the largest fish Byleth had ever seen, let along aided in catching herself. “Wow, that one looks large enough to feed an army, let alone the three of us. You caught others alongside this one I assume.” Flayn nodded, grabbing the half full bucket before rushing over to show the pickings to her father. 

“Wow, that is a rather impressive catch!” Seteth commented, matching the excitement of his daughter. “Luck seems to have struck both of us since I was able to find a plentitude of supplies to start a fire. For the best though since lots of fish will have to be cooked.”

“If we know we’d catch this much fish, we could have brought less from the monastery, “Byleth siad. “At least we will have more than enough fish to bring back to restock.”

“I’ll start a fire now. Flayn, if you could get the picnic basket from the carriage?” Seteth half asked, half instructed. Flayn nodded and went off. 

“I’ll skin and fillet the fish,” Byleth volunteered, sitting on the ground by her beloved then dragging the bucket closer to her. “I’ll clean some of the sticks you picked up to cook the fish on.”

“Thank you, I neglected to think of that. My apologies for the shortcoming,” Seteth replied, striking rocks above kindling. 

“You don’t need to apologize for not thinking of everything that needs to be done,” Byleth said, pausing the fish skinning to look at her lover. “I know the position of the archbishop’s aid comes with many responsibilities and you’ve been used to that for so long. I appreciate the world you do to help me with the church, but you don’t have to beat yourself up and apologize for not thinking of everything. Especially not when it’s about something as menial as cleaning sticks for fish at a picnic,” she continued, setting down her dagger and half skinned fish in the bucket before moving to sit beside Seteth, draping her arms around his neck and on his shoulder from behind. “Give yourself a break, if it’s just for today,” she kissed his cheek. 

“I will try,” he agreed, turning his head to return the cheek kiss. Byleth took the dagger and fish back into her grasp but kept her seat closer to the green haired man. “I was the one who suggested a vacation to the beach to escape the duties of our positions, in part to give you a much needed break, but I am here unable to do so. Rather ironic.”

“There is no need to feel bad about it. It has likely been a long time since you weren’t bombarded with important work that had to be done. Since you’ve been able to take a break,” she replied, recognizing how Seteth was feeling about his insecurity, not being able to do everything asked of him, not able to do what he requests of others himself. 

“I have the basket now!” Flayn proclaimed, rushing forward in their direction, either due to her newly applied enthusiasm or the weight of the basket pushing her forward. 

“Thank you,” Byleth nodded her thanks, quickening her speed with skinning the fresh fish. 

“There we are!” Seteth announced, watching the small flame he had been tending to erupt into a proper fire with the addition of some twigs and a bit more dried leaves for kindling. “Now we can start the actual cooking.”

“How rather timely, since I have started to grow a bit peckish,” Flayn interjected, excited to hear that cooked fish for eating was on the horizon. “Here is the salt,” she handed it to Byleth, who was now skewing the fish on spiked sticks. 

“If you put the fish on wood above a fire, will it not just burn?” Flayn asked, perplexed by her professor’s plan. 

“Not if I do this,” she answered, taking some more of the sticks Seteth had retrieved from the woods to make a contraption. The end result was a makeshift rotisserie, the sticks placed far enough from the flame to not risk catching fire. 

“That is rather genius, professor!” Flayn praised, further observing the set up. “Did you learn this during your time as a mercenary?” Byleth nodded, starting to turn the fish. 

“Flayn, would you mind putting together a salad with the vegetables we brought? If there isn’t a knife in the basket, I’ll give you my dagger to use. You’ll have to clean it in the water first though, since I used it to clean the fish,” Byleth asked, offering up her dagger. 

“I will happily do so,” Flayn replied, promptly starting to pull foods out of the iced basket. 

“I very much remember putting a kitchen knife into this basket while I was packing. I now just need to find it.”

“A ha, there it is!” She exclaimed, holding up the kitchen knife in triumph, like it was a trophy. “Here are some bread rolls that I got from the kitchen at the monastery. Would you like to warm them up by the fire?” Seteth and Byleth both nodded affirmatively. 

“Do you need help with cutting the vegetables?” Seteth asked, starting to get up from his seat now that the fire no longer needed tending to. 

“The salad will certainly be completed more quickly with your help. If you would not mind, Father, I would appreciate it,” Flayn answered, splitting the vegetables into two piles. 

“No, not at all,” Seteth replied, unsheathing his own dagger to use in place of a knife. 

The salad and bread were ready much before the fish, but that was primarily due in part to the sheer amount of it that needed to be cooked. Even if it all wasn’t being eaten now, the excess needed to be cooked promptly and Byleth thought it best to smoke them all at once, rather than trying to keep the fire while they are lunch or start another one up again later. 

“This isn’t a bad looking meal, if I do say so myself,” Seteth observed the prepared food, sitting on plates they had brought with them. “I see no need to keep it sitting out. Let us eat,” Seteth commented. The trio put their hands together for a silent prayer before stacking their plates to fill their stomachs. 

“You know what Flayn? I think you’re right about the fish. The freshwater ones from the monastery taste good when prepared well but these saltwater fish taste amazing just put over fire seasoned with a bit of salt and pepper,” Byleth said, mouth half full of food. Seteth shook his head slightly disapproving of the action on her part before wiping the expression from his face. It may have been a break from decorum, but that was the purpose of their venture to the beach, to be able to relax and not worry about optics and the perception of others. 

“It’s likely to just be the difference in the type of fish, but I’d like to think the salt in the water helps with the flavor,” Flayn smiled, holding a fork stabbed with vegetables in front of her mouth while she spoke. 

“You might actually be right about that, Flayn,” Seteth said after swallowing his own share of food. 

“If I didn’t know what was good for me, I’d take another piece of fish,” Byleth commented, setting her now bare plate off to the side while eyeing the food that still had yet to be eaten. 

“We mustn't let our eyes get bigger than our stomachs. Let us clean up, nothing wrong with having leftovers. Might be useful as snacks in case we find ourselves deviating from a straight path back to the monastery,” Seteth instructed, starting the pick up process. 

“May I go swimming in the ocean?” Flayn asked, the question not directed towards either of her parental figures in particular. 

“Yes you may,” Seteth answered, nodding his head slightly. “Don’t overexert yourself though, you've just finished eating. I would like to avoid having to rush into the water to help you because you’ve been overwhelmed by cramps.”

“I promise I will be careful,” Flayn replied before heading to a nearby cluster of trees to change.

“Are you going to join her?” Bylet asked her partner, turning her attention to him. He shook his head. 

“I’ve never been much for swimming. I would rather stay here and keep an eye on her,” he further elaborated. “Have you enjoyed the trip thus far?” Byleth nodded, smiling slightly.

“It’s been really nice. The scenery is beautiful, our lunch was delicious, and it’s been great to be able to relax and spend time with you,” she answered, further explaining her thoughts. “I’m still in awe of what we have been able to accomplish since the end of the war. We really have brought stability back to not only Fodlan, but our allies too,” she changed the subject, recalling the work that the trio had done. “Do you remember what you first said to me, when we first talked after the final battle of the war?” Byleth questioned. 

“Hmm, what in particular was it that I said? It feels like it was so long ago…” he trailed off, trying to remember. Byleth began to dig in her pockets, partly to find something in particular, but also in an attempt to jog his memory. A small flash of silver and green from her pocket was all it took for him to remember. 

“Oh, how could I have allowed myself to forget that promise I had made to you those years ago,” Seteth said in an apologetic tone. “I will leave discretion to you when we make the announcement of our engagement and planned marriage. That is if you would even want to take that particular approach.”

“I would love to have a proper wedding where we invite people that we know. I just don’t want what should be our day to become a political affair because of who we are,” Byleth replied. “I think I will hold off on making a formal announcement until we’re further along in our planning. I will actually wear this ring now, instead of carrying it around in my pocket,” she continued, sliding the engagement band onto her ring finger. 

“I cannot wait to have the opportunity to marry you, my love,” Seteth mused, leaning forward to give Byleth a kiss, which she reciprocated. She took his hands into her own. 

“I can’t either.”


End file.
